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Ukraine’s
War On Press Freedom |
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By Stephen Lendman |
| In February 2014, Washington replaced democracy in Ukraine with Nazi-infested
fascist dictatorship. Ruthlessness triumphed over freedom, equity and justice. The State Department’s 2015 country report on human rights said Ukraine “suffer(s) from corruption and deficiencies in the administration of justice.” “Human rights groups and the UN noted there were few investigations into human rights abuses committed by security forces.” “(T)he Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and Ministry of Internal Affairs operate(s) with impunity. Corruption in the Prosecutor General’s Office and the judiciary was of particular concern.” Human rights violations include beating, torturing and otherwise “abus(ing) of persons in custody.” Authorities “or (their) agents committed arbitrary or unlawful (politically motivated arrests and) killings,” detainees denied due process and habeas rights. Kiev fails to uphold “freedom of speech and (the) press.” Measures introduced “banned or blocked information, media outlets, or individual journalists deemed a threat (sic) to national security (or) expressed positions authorities believed undermined” official state policy. Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova calls Ukraine “a mass grave of journalists and journalism” - expressing outrage over the murder of Pavel Sheremet in Kiev. “He was a professional who was not afraid to tell different authorities at different times all that he thinks of them. He was respected for that,” said Zakharova, his truth-telling leaving him vulnerable. In 1999, he received the Committee to Protect Journalists International Press Freedom Award - in 2002, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Prize for Journalism and Democracy. A car-bombing assassination silenced him. He worked for Ukrainskaya Pravda and Vesti radio at the time. Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III." http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. |
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